Memory type automatic seat adjuster



Oct. l, 1963 J. PlcKLEs ETAL MEMORY TYPE AUTOMATIC SEAT ADJUSTER 5Sl'uaets-Sheei'l 1 Original Filed June 4. 1958 S R 0 T S G mi www IHR EH L P n w O R JO, Y B

ATT NEYS Oct. l, 1963 J. PlcKLEs ETAI. 3,105,658

' MEMORY TYPE AUTOMATIC SEAT ADJUSTER JOSEPH PICKLES ATTO R NEYS Oct. 1,1963 J. PIcKLl-:s ETAL 3,105,668

MEMORY TYPE AUTOMATIC sEAT AnJUsTER Original Filed June 4, 1958 5Sheets-Sheet 3 EE L. EM

INVENTORS JOSEPH Pl 0K LE S BY ORVILLE R.|D|NG Wgr?, Mw rroRNEvs Oct. 1,1963 J. PlcKLEs ETAL MEMORY TYPE AuToMATTc SEAT ADJusTER 5 Sh'eets-Sheet4 Original Filed June 4, 1958 FIG.6.

Fl G. IO.

INVENTORS FIG. 9.

JOSEPH PICKLES BY ORVILLE RIDING ATTORNE Oct. l, 1963 J. PlcKLEs ETAL3,105,668

MEMORY TYPE AUTOMATIC SEAT ADJUSTER Original Filed June 4, 1958 5Sheets-Sheet 5 HIS CONTROL SWITCH HER CONTROL SWITCH FI G.l I.

MS MS MS m g INVENToRs JOSEPH PICKLES |||||HIIJ By oRwLLE am ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent lll Claims. (Cl. 248-394) The present inventionrelates to matic seat adjuster.

This application is a continuation application of applicants copendingapplication Serial No. 739,723, now abandoned.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic seatadjuster for automotive vehicles capable of causing movement of the seatto a fully retracted and lowered position to facilitate entrance or exitof an occupant to or from the vehicle, in conjunction with control meansincluding a single manually operated switch which when energizedrestores the seat to a predetermined intermediate adjusted position.

'It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system asdescribed in the preceding paragraph comprising manually operated switchmeans for restoring the vehicle seat to either of two intermediatepositions.

lt is a further object of the present invention to provide a memorycontrol system for an automatically adjustable vehicle seat comprisingmeans for establishing a plurality of independent intermediate adjusted"positions, manual-ly operated control means for shifting the seat to afully retracted and lowered position, and manually operable switch meanseffective when energized to initiate return movement of the seat to apreselected intermediate adjusted position, and automatically operatedmeans for terminating movement of the seat when it reaches predeterminedintermediate adjusted position.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide acontrol system including a plurality of movable control members, meansoperable in response to movement of the seat to a predeterminedi-ntermediate adjusted position to effect a corresponding movement ofone or more of said members, said members having yieldable elementsthereon, switch actuators releasably engageable with said yieldableelements, and switches associated with said switch `actuators having asa normal condition preferably a normally open condition, when theassociated ones of said members are in predetermined adjusted position.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pair ofyieldable elements on each of said members, a switch actuator associatedwith each of said yieldable elements, and a switch controlled by each ofsaid switch actuators to enable establishing two intermediate adjustedseat positions,

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automaticmemory type seat control system includ-ing single manual control meansfor eecting movement of the seat to fully retracted and loweredposition, and a pair of additional switch means selectively operable toeifect re-adjustment of the seat from fully retracted and loweredposition to either of two preset intermediate adjusted positions.

It is a further object of the present invention to proa memory typeautovide seat control means including mechanism for setting controlmeans to establish two separate intermediate adjusted seat positions, apair of manually operable switches each effective when actuated toinitiate operation of adjusting mechanism to move the lseat from anyother position to a selected one of said intermediate adjustedpositions, and means for terminating operation of the seat adjustingmechanism when determined adjusted position.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as thedescription proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, illustrating preferred embodiments of theinvention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partial elevational View of the seat supporting andadjusting mechanism.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary partly broken away top view showing theconnection from a motor through a clutch and gear box to worm and wormgears actuating rack driving pinions.

FIGURE Z-A is a top view pantly broken away of the clutch and gear boxshown in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 2-B is a fragmentary section view of the clutch and gear boxshown in FIGURE Z-A taken on line 2B-2B in FIGURE 2-C.

FIGURE 2-C is an end view of the clutch and gear box of FIGURE 2-A withthe end cover removed.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a memory controldevice and its mechanical connections to the adjustable seat structure.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line 4 4, FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary plan View partly in section of the memorycontrol device.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a part of the positionsetting device.

FIGURE 7V is an elevational view of a spring Vretainer plate used .inthe assembly shown in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is an elevational View of a toothed sector employed in theassembly of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 9 is an elevational view of a position responsive setting leverVemployed in the assembly of FIG- URE 6 the seat reaches its pre-.FIGURE 10 is a Yfragmentary section on the line 10-10, FlGURE 9.

FIGURE 11 is a circuit diagram of a circuit suitable for employing themechanism in effecting adjustment of the seat.

Referring now to the drawings, the memory control system for seatadjustment is illustrated as applied to a seat in which adjustment iseffected by providing a lower slide movable fore and aft of the vehicleon fixed rails, and seat support frame elements are pivoted by levers atthe front and rear ends to the slide. Obviously, fore and aft movementof the slide effects fore and aft adjustment of a seat mounted on theseat frame elements. The levers which interconnect the front and rearends of the slide and seat frame elements are preferably bell type cranklevers so connected as to causerocking movement of the levers to producegenerally up and down movement of the corresponding ends of the seatframe elements. With this arrangement it is of course apparent that bysuitably actuating the levers at both the front and rear lof the seatframe elements, the seat may be raised or lowered. If only one of suchlevers is actuated the seat is tilted either forwardly or rearwardly.

The foregoing seat adjusting mechanism is best illustrated in FIGURE lwhere one of the stationary rails or tracks is indicated at 1i) adaptedto be bolted or otherwise secured to Kthe oor of the vehicle. It will ofcourse be understood that a pair of such rails are provided locatedadjacent opposite ends of the seat and similarly, a pair tof slides andseat frame elements are also provided.

Mounted for fore and aft adjustment on the stationary rail or track It)is a slide 12, suitable rollers for providing for relatively freeadjustment of the slide 12 being shown at 14. Adjacent the forward endof the slide 12 is an upstanding ear 16 affording a pivot mounting asindicated at 1S for a bell crank lever 2d havinga lifting arm 22 l andan actuating arm 24. Pivotally connected, as 'indicated at 25, to thelifting arm 22 of the bell crank lever 2li is a depending arm 26 of theseat frame element 28.

Similarly, a pivot mounting 3) is .provided adiacent the rear end of theslide l2 to which is Vsecured a bell crank lever 32 having an actuatingarm 34 and Va lift arm 36. rEhe lift arm 36 has .pivotally connectedthereto, as indicated at 33, a lifting link the upper end of which ispivotally connected, as indicated at 42, to the rear end of the seatframe element 23.

In order to etect power actuation of the seat to various adiustedpositions, there is provided for movement with the slide i2 a drive unit44 having therein three pinions 72, 72a and 72b, FGURE 2 each of whichis in rnesh with an actuating rack. The three actuating racks are shownat 46, 4S and 50. rthe rack i6 at its forward end is pivotally connectedas indicated at 52 to the actuating arm 24 of thetront lift vbell cranklever 2t). The rack i8 is pivotally connected as indicated at 54 to astationary post 56 which may be connected tothe stationary rail or trackmember lll, or may be connected directly to the iloc-r of thevehicle.The rack Stb is pivotally connected as indicated at 53 to the actuatingarm 34 of the rear -lift bell crank lever 32.

Each'of the three pinions in mesh with the racks 46, 48 and 5t) isseparately actuated and in accordance with the present invention asingle electric moto-r may be provided selectively coupled to one ormore of the pinions by llexible drive shafts which are selectivelyclutched to the transmission means. One such single motor multiple driveunit is fully set forth in Patent No. 2,886,094 and will therefore beconsidered only brieiiy herein. kReference is made to the cited patentfor a detailed consideration ot the particular single motor ymultipledrive unit illustrated.

Reierring now to HGURES 2, Z-A, 2-B and Z-C there is shown a motor el?having an output 62. connected to a gear and clutch box indicatedgenerally at 64. Within the box 6@ are a plurality of intermeshing gears63, 63a and 63h driven from the motor e@ each of which is connectedthrough a solenoid actuated clutch 65, 65a and 65!) to a liexible drivecable 66, 66d and 661; leading to a worm 68, 68a and 631) in mesh with aWorm gear 79, 7th: and 7Gb keyed or otherwise secured to a pinion '72which is in mesh with one of the racks 46, 48 or 5%, as shown in4lilGUlitE 2. It will be apparent that by operation ot suitableelectrical circuitry,v the motor 69 may be energized and the appropriateone or more of the solenoids Within the box 64 energized to connectedthe motor to the corresponding flexible drive cable which in turnetlects actuation of a corresponding one of the racks.

Referring nov.I to FIGURES 3-10 there is shown the memory control devicewhich is adapted to be carried by and hence movable with the seat or aseat frame element 2.8. The memory device includes three setting levers74, 76 and '78. The lever 7dis connected by a link 84) to the actuatingarm 2d ot the front lift bell crank lever 2li. The lever '75 isconnected by a link 32 to the actuating arm 34 or" the rear lifting bellcrank lever 32. The third lever 7S is connected by a link $4 to thestationary post S6 carried by `the stationary rail or track l0 or asimilar post lixedly mounted on the door of the vehicle. The links 8),82 and Sd are connected to the bell crank lever Ztl, actuating arm 34and post 56 in the same manner as lthey are connected -to levers 74, 76and 78, as shown in FlGURES 3 and 5.

From the foregoing it will be seen that for each of the iniinite numberof intermediate positions which may be occupied by the adjustablevehicle seat, there will be corresponding positions of the settinglevers 74, 76 and 7S.

Reterring more particularly to FGURES 6-10, each of the levers 74, '76and I extends from generally cylindrical discs Se provided with centralopenings by means of which they are mounted for rotation on a tubularsupport or bearing member 8.8. Rigidly affixed` to oppo- 4, site sidesof the discs 86 are plates Mi provided with elongated arcuate slots 92.Asbest seen in FIGURE 9, each of the discs Se is provided with similararcuate recesses 94 which are of arcuate cross-sectionv as best seen inFGURE l0. n

Mounted for rotation with respect to discs Sti on bearing member d8 onopposite sides of each of the discs 86.

and between the discs and the adjacent plates 9i? are a pair of toothedsectors 98. Each of the toothed sectors, as best illustrated in FIGURES, is provided with an elongated arcuate slot lati. Received in the slot15.06 inthe toothed sectors 9S are coil compression springs 162. Thecompression springs extend partly into the arcuate slots 92 in theplates @il and are partly received in the arcuate recesses 94 at theopposite sides o the discs 86. With the parts in the positionillustrated in FlGURE 6 the ends of the arcuate slots lili? are not inalignment Awith the ends of the slots d2 and arcuate recesses 94 whichare in alignment. it will be apparent that in this condition the springiti?. is under appreciable compression and Athe sectors are springbiased to return to a position in which the ends of K the arcuate slotsitl@ therein are in alignment with the ends of the recesses 94 and slots92. However, relative angular movement between the discs d6 and theassociated arm 74, 76 or 73 which are tixed in relation to either orboth of the toothed sectors associated therewith is permitted. It may cementioned at this `time that the plates which are located at oppositesides of each ot" the discs $5 are connected thereto by a nger liti/iwhich is received in a recessed scat lite, the seats being located atopposite sides of each of the discs 86 and each pair of seats togetherforming an aperture through the individual discs d6 as shown in FGURES 6and 9. Y

The memory device comprises a housing 168 in which'V are located sixswitch actuating rack bars liti, one being associated with each of thetoothed sectors. The rack bars have ears i12 at one end which form aloose pivot support and permits limited longitudinal movement thereot.The opposite end of each of the rack bars, as indicated at lid, isvertically movable in a slot M6 in the housing 98. Suitable spring meanssuch for example as indicated at il@ biases the several rack barsupwardly;

Mechanically operable means indicated at i2@ are pro-f vided fordepressing one rack 1oar associated with each of the three discs andlever devices. As. indicated, the actuator comprises a slotted cylindermounted for rotation about its axis 121 and having abutments 122engageable with one of the rack bars associated with three ot thelevers, and abutments 12,4 associated with the remaining rack bars andlevers. A section of the cylinder is shown in FGURE 4. It will beunderstood that Ythree.

such sections in axial alignment are provided in connection with thethree sets of rack bars associated with the three levers-7d, 76 and 7d.The three sections of cylinder mi? are rotatable about the common axislZi by any con venient means such as a drive cable M3 attached at oneend to the end section of cylinder )lill and at the other end tosuitable drive means (not shown).

In the position illustrated in FIGURE 3 each of the, rack bars liti ispermitted limited longitudinal movement. Provided in the housing w8 inassociation with each of the rack bars 1l@ are switches Si, S2, S3, S4,S5 and S6;

n FGURE 3 it is assumed that the switch is S1 and it'.

comprises contacts Sia and Sib, together with an intermediate movablecontact Sic carried by a spring arm connected to the rack bar litt).With the rack bar in the posi-KV tion illustrated in FIGURE 3 it willbenoted that' the intermediate contact Sic of the switch Sil is spacedfrom the two contacts Sla and'Slb.k However, limited movement of therack in either direction will close the centercontact with either of thecontacts Slaor Slb, aty which time the sector, lever and spring 'may beas seen, in lFIG-V URE 6.

If it is assumed that the rack bar lli) is associated with4 a sector 93associated with the lever '74, it willv be japparent that operation ofthe rack 46 driven by worm gear 68a which produces rocking movement ofthe lever 20 in either direction from the illustrated position willinitially cause longitudinal movement of the rack bar llt? so as toclose one of the switch contacts Sla, Sic, or Slb, Sic. Since thecontact Sic is carried by a flexible arm, the contacts will remainclosed while the rack bar lli) undergoes its relatively limitedlongitudinal movement. Thereafter, continued movement of the lever 2@will result in continued angular movement of the lever arm 74. At thistime the rack bar ilo is prevented from moving and accordingly thespring lil?. becomes compressed as the end of the recess 94 in the disc8d and the end of the slot 92 in the plate 9i? carry one end of thespring away from one end of the slot lit@ in the toothed sector 98. Solong as the seat remains out of adjustment the spring v/ill remaincompressed and the switch Sl will remain closed in one direction or theother. However, when the seat is brought back so that the lever 29occupies the position which it initially occupied, the intermediateswitch contact Slc resumes its neutral intermediate position as shown inFIGURE 3.

Means are provided for operating the setting levers 74, '76 and 78 toestablish a memory control for two intermediate seat positions which mayfor convenience be designated His and Hers It will be understood thatthe memory system disclosed herein is associated with a multipleposition manually controlled seat adjusting mechanism of the usual typeso that the operator or two operators of the vehicle may initiallyadjust the front seat to the position which best suits them. During suchadjustment the rack bars 110 will be in the upper position shown inFIGURE 3 and accordingly, movement of the seat to the adjusted positionwill effect movement of the rack bars il@ out of the neutral positionand into a limiting position as determined by abutments thereonengageable with adjacent portions of the housing 103. The longitudinalmovement permitted the rack bars is relatively slight. After the barshave moved to a limiting position, further movement of the seat willhave the effect of compressing the spring T102 as a result of movementof one end thereof by the ends of the recess 94 and slot 92. After theseat has been brought into a preselected position, and assuming that theadjustment has been accomplished by the individual who is to use theso-called His control switch, then the mechanically operable means 120is rotated in the appropriate direction to depress one of the rack barsassociated with each of the setting levers 74, 76 or 78. When the rackbars are dropped to a position in which they release the toothed sectors98, the sectors immediately return to an intermediate or center positionwith respect to the disc 86 of the associated setting lever. Themanually operated mechanism 124B is then released and the racks moveupwardly into meshed engagement with the toothed sectors. At this timethe switches controlled by the three His rack bars are open. Theseswitches -will be open only when the seat is in the His position andwill be closed in one direction or the other at any time when the seatis out of this adjusted position. It may also be noted that when theseat is in the His position all of the Hers switches will be closed inone direction or the other depending on the relative position in each ofthe three adjustments of the seat chosen for the Hers position. i

inasmuch as the present invention has as a primary object to facilitatemovement of the seat to a fully lowered and retracted position followedby a restoring movement to a predetermined intermediate operatingposition, limit switches are provided in association with the memorycontrol device operable to terminate seat movement when the seat hasreached its fully lowered and fully retracted position. For this purposea plurality of single pole, single throw, normally closed limit switchesL2, L3 and L4 are provided.

- having the movable contact 89a.

Each of the discs 86 includes a radial projection 130 which isengageable with a projection 132` on the ilexible arm 134 which carriesa movable contact LZa, L3a, or La. The projections 13o are so locatedthat as each of the setting levers '74, 7.6 and 78 reaches a positioncorresponding to the fully lowered and retracted position of the seat,its projection shifts the movable contact of the associated limit switchout of engagement with its stationary con-tact.

Referring now to FIGURE 11 there is shown the electrical circuit foreffecting movement of the seat from any intermediate position to a fullylowered and retracted position, and for returning the seat to either oftwo preselected intermediatepositions. The circuit in general isconnected to the usual manual control :circuit eifected by a manualswitch MS having three buttons MSH, MSb and MSc 'which are adapted whendepressed to energize the motor y64? in either forward or reversedirection and to connect the appropriate one of the clutch actuatingsolenoids CS2, CSS and C84. The memory control device comprises a set ofthree control switches S1, S2 and S3 which are a part of His controlcircuit, and three additional switches S4, S5 and S6 which are a part ofHers control circuit. The switches Sl through S6 in clude theintermediate movable contacts Slc, SZc, SSC, Stc, SSC and S60, normallyspaced from the relatively xed pairs of contacts Sla, Slb, and SZa,S217, etc. These are the switches which are controlled by movement ofthe several rack bars 110. In addition, the circuit includes a doublepole, single throw retracting switch S7 having contacts S7a and Sb; aHers manual double pole, single throw switch S3 having contacts 88a andSSb; and a His single pole, single throw switch S9 Included in thecircuit is a relay R1 adapted to be controlled by the contact Sa of theswitch S8, this relay having a rst pair of fixed contacts Rla and Ribbetween which is a movable contact Ric normally engaged lwith thecontact Rlb; a sec ond pair of stationary contacts Rld and Rie betweenwhich is a movable contact Rif normally in engagement with thestationary contact Rle; and a third pair of stationary contacts Rlg andRlh between which is a movable contact Rlk normally in engagement withthe stationary contact Rlh.

Sequencing relays R2, R3 and R4 are provided for effecting a sequencingcontrol of seat movements as will later appear. The coils of the relaysR2, R3 and R4 are sequentially energized in a predetermined program. Thecoil ofthe relay R2 is in series with the contact S9`a of the His switchS9, -the circuit being completed through this coil to the center movableconttact Rlc. Relay R2 has a pair of stationary contacts Rza and R2!)between which is located a movable contact RZC normally in engagementwith stationary contact Ria. Movable oontact RZC is connected to theContact S8!) of the Hers switch S8 and also to the movable Contact S9@of the His switch S9. Contact RZa is connected through the coil of therelay R3 to the center movable Contact Rlf of the relay R1. The relay R3is provided with a pair of ixetd contacts RSa and RSb between which is amovable contact RSC normally in engagement with the lixed contact R3a.The movable contact R3c is connected to the stationary contact R2a. Thestationary contact Ra is connected through the coil ofthe relay R4 tothe movable contact Rlk. Relay R4 is provided with a pair of stationarycontacts R4a and R4!) between which is located a movable contact R4cnormally in engagement with the stationary contact Roa. Stationarycontact Ra is not connected.

The control circuit for themotor 69 includes field windings F1 and F2 towhich circuits may be completed by energization of relays R5 and R6respectively, these relays including contacts RSa and Roa respectively.In addition, the motor control circuit includes a relay R7 having a highresistance coil and including normally open contacts R751 adapted tocomplete a circuit to thearmature of the motor. The arrangement is suchthat the relay R7 is energized when either of the field windings F1 orF2 is energized. The circuit through the coil of the relay R7 iscompleted through lone or the other of the ield windings Fl or F2, butthe current therethrough is negligible due to the high resistance of thecoil of the relay R7.

The circuit includes a relay R8 having pairs of stationary contactsRita, RSb, and R8C, RSd, and Re, R872 Intermediate stationary contactsR811 and Reb is a movable contact Rg normally in engagement withstationary contact Rb. Intermediate stationary contacts R8C and Rdc! isa movable contact R311 normally in engagement with stationary contactRd. intermediate stationary contacts Rdc and Rf is a movable contact RSknormally in engagement with stationary contact R81'. The coil of relayR3 is in series with the contact S715 of the retracting switch S7 and acircuit is completed through the coil to ground as indicated at 14d whenVthe retracting switch S7 is closed.

The circuit includes normally closed single pole, single throw limitswitches L2, L3 and Ld including the movable contacts LZzz, Lita and Liaadapted to be moved to a circuit opening position by the asosciatedradial projection 13d of the appropriate setting lever 741, 76 or 73.The limit switches L2, L3 and L4 are respectively in series betweencontact S7b of the retracting switch S7 and the contacts R801, Rdc andRS@ respectively of the relay RS.

While the operation of the system is probably apparent from theforegoing, a typical operation will be traced. In this operation it isassumed that the seat is -in its fully retracted and lowered position.Accordingly, at this time limit switches L2, L3 and Ui are open, and itis further assumed that the memory control device has been so set thatall `of the switches Si through` S6 are closed in one direction oranother as indicated in the diagram. A-t this time the His switch S9 isclosed. As illustrated in the wiring diagram, it will be necessary forthe operator to hold this switch closed until the seat reaches itsintermediate adjusted His position. It will be understood however, thatif desired a relay and holding circuit may be associated with the Hisswitch S9 in a conventional manner so that only momentary closure by theoperator of the His switch S9 is required, the circuit being held inuntil completion of the seat adjustment, at which time all three of theswitches Si, S2 and S3 are open.

Closure of His switch S9 completes a circuit from the battery B throughthe coil of the relay R2, through contacts Rlb and Ric, and throughcontacts Sla and Slc through the coil of relay R to ground.` This closesthe contact RSa establishing a circuit from the battery through tieldwindings F1 and the parallel circuit through the relay R7 is energized,thus closing contact Ra and establishing a circuit through the armatureof the motor.

Energizatio-n of relay R2 shifts the movable contact R into engagementwith stationary contact R25. A circuit is thus completed from thebattery B through contacts Sa, R25, RZb, RSI), Riig, through thewindings of the clutch control solenoid CS2 to ground. Thus, the motoris energized in the appropriate direction to bring about a liftingmovement of the rear lever 32- when the rack connected thereto isactuated by the pinion connected through the ileXible drive connection66 to the motor 6l?. The clutch solenoids C53 and C84 at this time arenot actuated since the sequencing relays R3 and Rd have not beenVenergized.

After appropriate adjustment or' the rear lift lever 32 the associatedsetting lever reaches the preset position at which time the switch Slopens. This has the effect of breaking the circuit through the relay R2.and also of course of breaking the circuit to the relay R5.De-energization of relay R2 causes the movable contact R20 to engagefixed contact R26: and a circuit is then completed through the "Hisswitch S9, contacts R20, RZa, through the windings of the relay R3,contacts Rle and Rif, and through the contacts SZc and 82e of the Hiscontrol switch S2 re-establishing a circuit through the windings of `therelay R5 and again energizing the motor 60 in the appropriate direction.At this time the circuit through .the rear clutch control solenoid CS2is broken ing relay R3 is dc-enengized, relay R4 is energized, and

appropriate adjustment ot the seat in a fore and aft direction occurs,until iinally the switch S3 opens, thus termii nating the re-adjustmentof the seat.

lt may be mentioned that the Hers control lswitch SS includes a contact58a which energizes vthe Hersre' lay R1 which has Ithe eiect of shiftingthe movable contacts Ric, Rif and Rik thereof from the position show-ninto engagement with the stationary contacts Ria, Rld and Rigrespectively. With this difference the operation of the Hersre-adjustment circuit is the same as His 'from the foregoing it will beobserved that the seat may be adjusted through the manual control switchMS into either of two desired positions at which time the setting leverswill have biased the normally spring centered toothed sectors 9S so thatwhen the three His or Hers rack bars are depressed, the sectors will bespring urged into a predetermined position. Release of lthe rack vbardepressing means permits the rack bars to engage the toothed sectors in.the adjusted position.

With the seat in `either of the two preset intermediatepositions, or infact any intermediate position, closure of the retracting switch S7results in a sequenced movement yof the seat to fully retracted andlowered position, this adjustment continuing until operation of thefmotor 60 is terminated by opening of the last of the three limitswitches L2, L3 and L4'. Upon re-entering the vehicle the operator maydepress either the His or Hers switch S9 or Sii and the seat will beautomatically readjusted to the predetermined position.

It will also be observed that if the seat is in the `His position forexample, as may occur if an occupant gets out of the vehicle Withoutrnoving the seat to its fully retracted position, it is possible tore-adjust the seat from the His position to the Hers position withoutrequir-` f ing it to move through the fully retractedand loweredposition.

The drawings and the foregoing specification consti-` tute a descriptionof the improved memory type autolmatic seat adjuster in such full,clear, concise and exact Vterms as to enable any person skilled in theart to practice Y the invention, the scope of which is appended claims.

What We claim as our invention is: Y l. A memory seat adjustment systemfor a vehicle seatV of the type having mechanism for effecting verticalseat indicated by the adjustment and horizontal seat adjustment,reversible electric motor means for operating said mechanism, and

manually operable switch meansfor effecting independent and selectivevertical and horizontal adjustment, said memory system comprising lamemory device operatively associated with the vehicle seat and includinga set of j normally closed switches and means operatively associatedwith said switches for opening said set of switches when the seatreaches fully down and rearward retracted a set `of normally openswitches, means vrttor set of switches except` when position, closingsaid normally open the vehicle `seat is in a predetermined vertical andhorizontal intermediate position, a circuit Vincluding said memorydevice and in addition a single manual retracarcanes tion switch and aposition restoring switch, said circuit being effective -to operate saidmotor means to retract the vehicle seat down and rear-Ward until openingof said set of normally closed switches upon closure of said retractionswitch, and effective to operate said motor means to move -the vehicleseat vertically and horizontally directly to the predeterminedintermediate position upon closure of said restoring switch from anyvertical and horizontal intermedia-te position thereof, at `whichpredetermined position said set of normally open switches is opened.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 in which said circuit comprisessequence imeans eifective to require completion of one phase ofadjustment before initiation of another.

3. A system as defined in claim 1 in which said circuit comprises meansfor initiating simultaneously all phases of adjustment requiring motorrotation in one direction, and means for reversing motor rotationthereafter if required to effect the necessary seat adjustment.

4. A memory control system for adjustable vehicle seats comprising motormeans, seat adjusting mechanism, means connecting said motor andmechanism, a memory device comprising a first member ioperafblyassociated with a seat to be adjusted and movable therewith into aplurality of positions corresponding to a corresponding plurality ofadjusted seat positions, a second member connected to said first memberAfor movement therewith and relative thereto, resilient means connectingsaid iirst and second members, a motor control member having anintermediate neutral position and movable in either direction therefrom,means limiting movement of said control member to movements of smallamplitude from its neutral position, means for coupling said seco-ndmember to said control member in any selected position of said firstmember with said control member in its neutral position when so coupled,a rst manual control member for said motor means operable when actuatedto effect movement of said seat to fully retracted position, means forterminating movement of `said seat upon reaching said retractedposition, a second single manual control member operable to effectreturn of said seat directly to the position it occupied when saidsecond member and said control member were coupled from any intermediateposition of the seat, and means for thereupon terminating movement ofsaid seat.

5. A system as described in claim 4 in which said first member comprisesa pivoted setting lever, said second member comprises a toothed sectorpivotally connected thereto, and said control member comprises a toothedmember meshed with said sector.

6. A system as described in claim 5 in which said toothed membercomprises a rack.

7. A system as described in claim 4 in which said motor ymeans comprisesan electric motor, and said mauual control members and the means forterminating seat movement comprise switches.

8. A memory seat adjustment system for a vehicle seat comprisingmechanism `for effecting horizontal and Vertical seat adjustment, motormeans for operating said mechanism, a memory device operativelyassociated with the vehicle seat and including a set of normally openswitches, and means for closing said normally open set of iswitches.except when the vehicle seat is in a predetermined intermediateposition, and a circuit including said normally open switches and aposition restoring switch effective to operate said motor means to movethe vehicle seat horizontally `and vertically directly to saidpredetermined intermediate position from .any intermediate positionthereof upon closure of said restoring switch, at which position saidset of normally open yswitches is opened.

9. A memory control system `for adjusting vehicle seats comprising motormeans, seat adjusting mechanism, means connecting said motor andmechanism, a memory device comprising a pivoted lever operablyassociated with a seat to be adjusted and movable therewith into aplurality of positions corresponding to a corresponding plurality ofadjusted seat positions, a toothed sector connected to said lever formovement therewith and relative thereto, resilient means for connectingsaid lever and sector, a rack meshed with said sector having Ianintermediate neutral position and movable in either direction therefrom,means limiting movement of said rack to movements of small amplitudefrom its neutral position, means for coupling said toothed sector tosaid rack in any selected position of said pivoted lever with said rackin its neutral position when so coupled, a iirst manual controi memberfor said motor means operable when actuated to effect movement of :saidseat to fully retracted position, means for terminating movement of saidseat upon reaching said retracted position, a second single manualcontrol member operable to effect return of said seat directly to theposition occupied when said sector and said rack were coupled, and meansfor thereupon terminating movement yof said seat.

10. Structure as claimed in claim 9 and further including circuit meansresponsive to said second manual control member operable to effectreturn of said seat to the position it occupied when said sector andrack were coupled through sequential movement thereof in distinctdirections.

11. Structure as claimed in claim 9 and vfurther including circuit meansresponsive to the second manual control member `for effecting return ofsaid seat to the position it occupied when said sector and rack werecoupled through first 'simultaneously moving the seat in tali directionsrequiring ia particular direction of rotation of said motor means andthereafter reversing the direction of rotation of the motor means ifrequired to complete movement of .said seat to the position it occupiedwhen ythe sector and rack were coupled.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,720,619 James Oct. 11, 1955 2,805,702 Appleton Sept. 10, 19572,823,949 Williams e-t al Feb. 18, 1958 2,827,105 Brundagel Mar. 18,1958 2,829,002 Leavengood et al Apr. 1, 1958 2,886,094 Pickles May 12,1959

1. A MEMORY SEAT ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE SEAT OF THE TYPE HAVINGA MECHANISM FOR EFFECTING VERTICAL SEAT ADJUSTMENT AND HORIZONTAL SEATADJUSTMENT, REVERSIBLE ELECTRIC MOTOR MEANS FOR OPERATING SAIDMECHANISM, AND MANUALLY OPERABLE SWITCH MEANS FOR EFFECTING INDEPENDENTAND SELECTIVE VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL ADJUSTMENT, SAID MEMORY SYSTEMCOMPRISING A MEMORY DEVICE OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE VEHICLE SEATAND INCLUDING A SET OF NORMALLY CLOSED SWITCHES AND MEANS OPERATIVELYASSOCIATED WITH SAID SWITCHES FOR OPENING SAID SET OF SWITCHES WHEN THESEAT REACHES FULLY DOWN AND REARWARD RETRACTED POSITION, A SET OFNORMALLY OPEN SWITCHES, MEANS FOR CLOSING SAID NORMALLY OPEN SET OFSWITCHES EXCEPT WHEN THE VEHICLE SEAT IS IN A PREDETERMINED VERTICAL ANDHORZONTAL INTERMEDIATE POSITION, A CIRCUIT INCLUDING SAID MEMORY DEVICEAND IN ADDITION A SINGLE MANUAL RETRACTION SWITCH AND A POSITIONRESTORING SWITCH, SAID CIRCUIT BEING EFFECTIVE TO OPERATE SAID MOTORMEANS TO RETRACT THE VEHICLE SEAT DOWN AND REARWARD UNTIL OPENING OFSAID SET OF NORMALLY CLOSED SWITCHES UPON CLOSURE OF SAID RETRACTIONSWITCH, AND EFFECTIVE TO OPERATE SAID MOTOR MEANS TO MOVE THE VEHICLESEAT VERTICALLY AND HORIZONTALLY DIRECTLY TO THE PREDETERMINEDINTERMEDIATE POSITION UPON CLOSURE OF SAID RESTORING SWITCH FROM ANYVERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL INTERMEDIATE POSITION THEREOF, AT WHICHPREDETERMINED POSITION SAID SET OF NORMALLY OPEN SWITCHES IS OPEN.